Question

Whiteness is a social category and system of human classification invented in the American colonies during the early 1700s to accomplish which of the following:

a) Promote diversity
b) Establish caste systems
c) Institutionalize racism
d) Encourage equality

Answer 1

The social category of Whiteness established in the early 1700s primarily served to institutionalize racism and create a social system of hierarchy based on race, whereby White individuals had systemic advantages and power. This classification was fluid and not always based on strict definitions but on proximity to power.

Step-by-step explanation:

The invention of the social category of Whiteness in the American colonies during the early 1700s was not intended to promote diversity or encourage equality. Instead, it served to institutionalize racism and establish systems of social hierarchy based on race. The concept of Whiteness often provided those with European ancestry or appearance the proximity to power and structural advantages in society, influencing socioeconomic and legal outcomes.

Whiteness has been a dynamic classification throughout American history, with certain ethnicities being included over time. It has played a significant role in creating societal power structures that center the idea of European ancestry as a marker of higher social, moral, and economic status. Furthermore, it has contributed to the rigid stratification of society, which has persisted throughout various institutions.

Moreover, critical race theory explores the nature of race as a social construct and the impact of race on legal systems and institutions, highlighting that Whiteness and the associated supremacy were embedded in legal structures, further perpetuating racial inequality. This was evident as the concept of race and racial categories became deeply intertwined with slavery and later legal definitions that upheld discriminatory practices.

Answer 2

Whiteness was invented in the early 1700s in the American colonies to c. institutionalize racism and establish a hierarchy based on race.

Step-by-step explanation:

Whiteness is a social category and system of human classification that was invented in the American colonies during the early 1700s to institutionalize racism.

It was a way to create a hierarchy based on race, with White people being seen as superior and having power and privilege over other racial groups.

Whiteness has been defined in different ways throughout history, and certain ethnicities that were initially not considered White became included in the White category over time.